Driving mechanism.



E. A. & EL LE M. EUSTICB.

DRIVING MEHANISM.

APPLIOATION I'ILEI) AUG. 27, 1910.

1,033,567. Patented July23, 1912.

E. A. & B. LE M. BUSTICE.

DRIVING MBGHANISM.

APPLIOATION,IILED AUG. 27, 1910. 1,033,567. Patented July 23,1912.

3 SHEETSSHBET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFC.

EDWARD A. EUSTICE AND EDWARD LE IVIOTTE EUSTICE, OF NEWTON, IOWA.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

Speification of Letters,?atent. Application filed Ai1gust 27, 1910. Serial No. 57 9,330.

Patente d July 23, 1912.

T0 1ZZ whom 2'25 may concern j Be it known that we, EDWARD A. EUSTICE and EDWARD LE MOTIE EUs'rion, citizens ottheUnited States of America, and residents of Newton, Jasper county, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Driving Mecha nism, of which the followingis a specification.,

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for driving mechanisms adapted to be employed for mechanically operating a washing machine and other devices to be driven.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for reducing the speed of a follower in respect to a prime mover.

A further object of this invention is to provide a' balanced garing whereby end thrust is removed from worm shaft and Worm gears are balanced against each other.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for manually rotating a Worm shaft auxiliary to mechanical rotation thereof.

A further object of this invention is to 'provide means for driving a speed reducing mechanism by an electric motoror extraneous power interchangeably- A further object of this invention is to provide means for intert:hangeably' using an electric motor, gas engine or other mechanical prime mover in driving a follower such as a washing.machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for mounting driving mechanism relative to a follower to be driven.

A further ob ect of this 1nvent1on JS to provide improved means for 1ntergearmg or disconnecting a driving mechanism and follower.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for driving an e5:traneous device such as a clotheswringer conjunctively with or independently of a primary v follower such as a washing machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for driving an ext raneous device positivel'y or reversely cnjunctivly with or independently of a primary follower.

A further object ofthis Iinventiori is to provide improved means for adjusting a next1aneous follower relative to'its support.

A further object of this invention is to power shaft and follower shaft.

Our invention consists in the construction,

arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth,pointed out in our provide improved means for connecting a -claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, -in Whieh v Figure 1 is a plan of the machine, porv tions being broken away to reveal interior construction. Fig.-2 is a side elevation of the machine, portionsbeing broken away to reveal interior construction, Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the machine. Fig. 4 is a side elvationof the machine oppo site to that shown in Fig. 2. -Fig..5 is a longitu dinal vertical section on the indicated line 55 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a crossasection on the indicated line 66 of Fig. 5.- F ig. 7 is a -cross-section on the indicated line 7 7 0f5 Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is ahelevation, partly in sec tion, on the ndcated line 88 of Fig. 7

In the construction' of the machine as shown a suitable support is employed and for this purpose we have illustrated -a tub 10 carried by legs 11', 12, 13, 14 and pmvided with a wringr stand 15,.a stationary cover member 16 and a movable cover; member 17 pivoted tothe stationary member by hinges 18, 19. The tub and its members which we have employed and illustratd to demonstrate the Support and application of our improved driving" mechamsm is of common and well known construction towhich o we make no claim. Themovable port1on 17 of the cover carries a .dolly shzifl2; (I10t shown) within a housing 20 and adolly v pinion 21 is mounted on said shaft and is employed to oscillate the shaft and dollywithin the tub. Air'mtilated gear 2 2Qis mounted for osci llation on'a vertical axis at one side of and meshes with the dolly pinion 21 and said mutilated gear s par,

ti ally covered and inclosed by a continuation and meshes with the niutilated gear 22 diarretrically opposite the pinion 21 when the mcvable portion 17 of theficover is closed on the tulo. 'When the movable port-ion 17 of the cover'is raised from.the tub by \IHO Y:"

-rectilinear reciprocatiohin the beari ng 23 ment through an are articulating on the l1inges 1,8, 19, the mutilated gear 22 is moved away from and out of mesh with the rack 24. This'arrangement is to permit opening the tub for inspection.or change of the clothing therein without stopping the automati c driving mechanism and at the same time to provide that the dolly, its shalt and pinion and the mutilated gear 29 may come to rest and not be operated when the cover is moved to open position.

To compensate for 'wear between the mutilhted gear and. rack 24 or between said r'aek and the rear wall of the bearing E23, an angle plate 25 is mounted on the stationary portion 16 of the cover and extends through a slot in the upstanding portion of the bearing 23 into contact with said rack. The angle plate 25 isformed with a slot 26 through which a screw 27 is passed to a seat in the stationary portion 16 of the cover. By means of the slot 26 and serew 97 the angle plate 25 may be adjusted to greater or less degree through the slot in the bearing and be caused to engage and hold the rack 24 toward the mutilated gear. A bracket 28 is mounted on the support (in this instance the tub 10) intermediate of the top andbottom of said support and may be seeured in any desired manner. In this instance the bracket 28 is shown bolted to t h stays of the tub and further held by en offset arrangement is for comenience in loeating the upper and lower ends of the lerer 30 in respect off'ollower and driving devices respectively. The upper end portion of the lever 30 is pivoted to the outer end portion of the rack 24: and said lerer is oscillated as hereinafter described to giveto the rack the rectilinear reciprocation ab0vementioned. A plurality of hangers, ih this instance four in number, 32, 33, 34, are mounted beneath the support, extend across the inner faces f the legs 11, 13, 12 and 14'respectiVel and extend upwardly outside of and are'secured to the Wall of the support.

It will be observed that the hangers 32,

33, 34, do-not in any manner e1gage or are they in any manner seeured to the logs of the support but have their entire attachment and carrying relation on the support ext 'aneous to the logs, thus relieving the legs of any strain or vibration on the Spar" of the operating devices carried by said hangers as hereinafter described.

l I anger rods 3G, 37 are mounted in and supported. at their ends by ears 38 formed on and depending from central portions of the hungers 3233, respectivcly. Hanger platos 39, 40 are suspended beneath the hanger rods 36, 37 by means of U-bolts 41, ofany desired number, extending through said hangcr platos and c1.ossing and embracing said rods. The hanger platos 3.9, 40 are arranged parallei with each other and spaced apart and also are arranged parallel with each other and spaeed From the bottom of the support. The hanger platos 39 40 may be adjusted to any desired locations throughout the lengths of the hanger rods 36, 37 and serve to connect and braco said rods at right angles to the connection of the hatngers by said rods, thus prmiding a rigid auxiliar-y support for the driving meeha nism about to be described. A prime mover, 42, in this instance an electric motor, is fixed to and depends from one end portion of the ha'nger plate 39 and the shaft 4:3 of said prime mover projects longitudinally of said ha-nger plate and on the median line thereot. A housing 44 is fixed to and depends from the hanger plate 39 opposite to and in alinement with the prime mover 4.2. Journal bearing; 45, 46 are Inounted in apertures in end portions,and near the bottom of the housing 44 and project inwardly in aline- 1nent with each other Within said housing. A worm shaft 47 is mounted in and longi' tudinally o:t' the lower port ion of the hous- 'ing 44 and is formed with oppositely itehed Worms or screws 48, 4-9 between its ends and spaced apart, Which Worms, or serews are of ctmsiderably greater diameter than the shaft. The apertures in the ends of housing i-lare sufiieiently large to admit the Worm shatt and sorews by longitudinal movement through either of them and the hearings 4+"), 46 are placed on said sl .att and fixed to end iortions o" the housing after the shaft is property ioeated rvilhin' the liousing. A. universal (coupling is pro rided between the adj:u'ont end. portions of the power. sha lt =t3 and the Worm shat't 47 and compensates tor any inaceuracy ot alinement of said shatts. The housing 4i is formed With non-registering apertures in its opposite sides and said apertures are closed normally by journal bearings 51, The housing 4A- formed with habs or journal bearings 53, projecting outwardly and inwardl; from its walls opposite to the removab.le journal bearings 5.1, 52 respec titely. Shafts 05, 56 are mounted f(: rotation in the journal bcarings 51-03 and 5254 respectively and extend at their ends outside of the housing 4L. The shafts 56 are at right angles to and above the ornr" shatt 47 and gen 57; 58 are mounted on mid fixed to said shatts within the housing.

The apertures in the walls of the housing tion of said rack to hold the lever in any p0- thus controlling the location of the clutch tained by inter-meshing of the gears auxilagainst outward movement by a cap 61 sesaid recess, thus limiting inward movement 40 and is provided with a fork 69 embracw:1rd tendency. The outer end portion of 44 are sufficiently large to pass the gears 57, 58 to and from the housing through them and the journal bearings 51, 52 are mounted en the shafts and secured to the housing after the shafts and -said gears have been placed within the housing; The gears 57 58 are of such,tharacter and are so located as to inter-mesh and also to inesh with and bc engaged by the worms or screws 48, 49 respectively. The gears 57, 58 are driven in opposite directibns by the oppositely pitched worms or screws 48, 49 and such opposite movement is balanced and mainiary to the worms or screws. The journal bearing 51 is of abnormal length laterally of the housing 44 in order to steady and support the shaft 55, which shaft extends across and is further supported by a bearing 59 depending from the hangcr plate 40. A wrist wheel (S0 is loosely mounted on the outcr end portion of the shaft 55 and is confined cured to the extremity of said shaft by a screw (32 loosely embracing a hub of said wrist wheel. The opposite end of the hub of the wrist wheel is formed with a recess and a collar 63 is fixed to the shaft 55 within of the wrist Wheel. The inner portion of the hub of the wrist wheel is formed as a clutch 64 and is adapted to be engaged by a elutch 65 movable on and feathered to the shaft 55 between the clutch member 64 and the outer end of the bearing 51. A pitman 66 is pivoted at one end to a wrist pin 67 on the Wrist wheel 80 and is pvoted at its opposite end to, the lower end portion of the lever 30. A lever 68 is fulcrumed at one end on" one end portion of the hanger plate ing the clutch 65 and engaging in a peripheral groove 70 in'said clutch.- The lever 68 extends beyond the periphery of the support 10 and is so shaped and arranged as to exert upward pressure or have an inherent up the lever 68 is adapted to engage a rack 71 fixed to and extending downwardly from the rim of the support 10 and itis the funcsition in which it may be placed manually,

65 in respect of engagement or disengagement relative to the clutch member 64. A pi nion 7 2 is mounted on the opposite end portion of the shaft- 55 and a pinion 73 is mounted opposite to the pinion 72 and spaced therefrom on the adjaeent end portion of the shaft 56. A journal bearing 74 is formed on and extends laterally from the central portion of the bottom of the hous ing 44 and a shaft 75 is mounted in said bearing. A bracket 76 is journaled at its lower end on the shaft 75 and abuts the outer end portion of the bearing 74, the shaft 75 preferably bein'g rivetedat its ends to connect said bracket and bear ing loosely. A ournal bearing 77 is formed on the upper end. portion of the bracket 7G, and is ar- -ranged between and parallel with the shafts -55, 56. Ashaft 78 is mounted loosely in and projects at both ends from the bearing 77 and carries a pinion 7 9 on its inner end 'adapted to engage with one or another ofthe gears 72, 73, or be wholly disengaged from and arrang'ed intermediate thereof. A

pulley 80, in this instance of the grooved variety, is mounted on the end portion of the shaft 78 opposite to the pinion 79. A hand lever 81 is fixed to the bracket 76 and extends upwardly alongside of the support 10. The lower end port1on of the hand lever 81 is located between the pulley 80 and vertical line of the support and said lever is bent outwardly so as to clearthe support and extend outside of the vertical plane of the, pulley. The hand lever 81 is provided with a 'brace or keeper 82 on its inner face and a pin 83 is mounted in and crosses the space between said lever and keeper. A detent 84 is pvoted on the support 10 and provided with a plurality of notches 85, in

this instance three in number, which notchs are adapted to engage (one or another) with the pin 83 and hold the lever 81 in any position in which it may be placed manually. A spring 86 holds the detent84 in engagement with the pin 83 except when said detent is manually .lifted from the pin to permit manual oscillation of the lever 81.

A clothes wringer 87 "is mounted on the wringer stand 15 and secured thereto in a common and well known manner. One of the wringer shafts 88 extends laterally from the frame of the wringer and a sleeve 89 is mounted thereonand secured thereto by a.

set screw 90. The sleeve 89 extends through a bearing 91 and carries'a pulley 92 on its.

outer end, which pulley is connected by a b elt 93 to the pulley 80. The bearing 91 is secured to one end portion of the wringer stand 15, preferably by means of screws 94, 95 extending through slots 96, 97 in the foot of said bearing and seatedin the wringer stand. The sleeve 89 and pulley 92 arejadjustablelongitudinally of the wringer shaft 88 and relative to the bearing 91 and said bearihg is adjustable relative to the wringer stand, thus providing means for adjusting the pulle v 92 in any desired niahner in re spect of the pulley 80, having relation to the belt .93 connecting said pulleys:

. The electric motor 43 may be dispensed with and the worm shaft 47 bedriven by a prime mover extraneous V to the support which prime mover may be attached to"the 'end of the s'haft by the coupling 50 or otherwse as desired. In respect of the otherwise connection a cone pulley 98 is shown on\ the shaft 4:7 adapted to receive a belt from an extraneous prime mover. Sometimes it is desirable to operate another tollower extraneous to the support by the driving mech anism above described and for such purpose a cone pulley 99 is shown on the shatt 56, which cone pulley is adapted to receive a belt leading to the follower. Sometimes it is desirable to advance the driving mechanism or reverse it from a given position of rest and .for such purpose a hand wheel 100 is shown on one end portion of the worm shaft 4:7, by means ot which hand wheel said shatt and the gcariua coiitr0lled thereby may be advanced or revcrsc tl as desired.

The proportions, arrangeanent and detail construction of the various components of our 1neehanism may be varied and modified in man v rcspects without depa'rting from the spirit of our invention and therefore wc do not desire to be untleristood as limiting (mrsclves to the precise construction, arrangcmcnt and proportions shown in our drawin;rs herewith.

In practical use of the mechanis1n above described the shaft 47 is rotated by the prime mover and in turn rotates the sh:ifts 55, 56 through the inter-engaging Worms 4:8, 4t9 and ears 57, 58, the oppositely pitched worms cnnjaging the inter-meshing' gears and taking the end thrust ofl' of the shatt 47 and also iniiiiinizing the wear of the gears by the worms or screws. The shatt 55 drives the elutch (35 and when said clutch is in en gagement with the member 64 drives the wrist wheel (30 by means of which the pit- 1nan 66 is rech3rocated to the oscillation of the lover 3 The lover 30 recipr0cates the rack 24 and said rack acts through the mutilatcd gear Q2 and oscillates the pinion 21, dolly shait and dolly. Power is taken ot ot the shaft 56 through the pinion 73 to the pinion 79 to drive the shat't 78 and pullcy 80 tor the operation of the wringer rolls in one direction or the lover 81 may be opcrated to shit't the shat't 78 so as to take power trom the shatt through the pinion T2 to drive the wringer rolls in the opposite direction. The wrist wheel 60 may be dis- Connectcd by shifting the lever 68 when it is desired to open thetub and pass the clothes therein through the wringer or said wrist wheel may be permitted to continuo in Operation when the tub is open, the dolly meqhanism ceasing to operate because ot the disconnection of the mutilated gear 22 abme described from the rack 24. ()r the washine operations may be continued and the wringer be reversely operatcd so that eloth a reverse direction if dcsirad. "lhis arrange sirable to place a receptacle en the housing 20 to receive the clothespassed reversely through the wringer.

It: is to be understo0d that our improved driving mechanism above described may be employed with mechanisur other than that adapted for washing and wringing clothes and that the illustration and description thereof in the lattcr connection is solely for convenienee and elcarness of demonst ati0n.-

lVe claim as our invention l. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a suitable support and logs theret'or, a platform suspended from said support extraneons to said logs, a motor on the plat form, a shatt mounted in the top of the support, a device mountcd on the top of the support, an operating device connected with the motor and with said shatt tor imparting an alternath.s'rotarv motion to the lattor, means connccting said operating device and the said device tor operating the latter, controllin;r lovers, and separa te means operated by the controlling lovers for throwing said operating device and means into or out of operativo connection with the motor.

2. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a suitable s1ipport and logs therefor, a platform suspended from said support ex traneous to said logs, a motor on the plat form, a shaft 1nounted in the top of the support, a device mounted on the top of the support, an operating device connected with the motor and with said shaft for impart ing an alternatingr rotary motion to the lat ter, means connecting said operating device and the said device for operating the latter, controlling levcrs, and separate means operated by the controlling levers for throwing said operating device and means into or out of operativo connection with the motor, one ot said controlling levers adapted to reverse the operation of said device.

3. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a suitable support and legs theretor, a platform bencath and fixed to said support extrancous to the legs, a motor carried by said platform, a 'rotat-able shaft, driving 1nechanism r-onnecting said shaft and.motor and including a clutch between said shaft and motor, a lover controlling said clutch, a device at tle top of the Support, and connecting means between said device and the drivingmechanism, said connecting means including a. levcr-controlled shifting device independent of said clutch, the shifting device adapted for cessation, direct or reverse operation ort' the device at the top of the support.

4. In a driving mechanis1h. the combination of. a suitable support, hann'er devices secured to the support. a shatt at the top ot the support, a motor carried by said hanger devices, an operating device connected with the motor and with said shatt for imparting an alternating rotary motion to the shaft, and including a controlling lever for throwing the operating device into or out of operative connection with the motor, a device at the top of the support independent of said shaft, and connecting means between said operating device and the latter device, said connecting means includin a leverperated shifting device indepen ent of said. controlling lever and adapted for cessation, or direct or reverse operation of the latterdevice.

5. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a suitable support, a platform suspended from said support, a motr on said platf0rm,'a shaft mounted in the top of the support, a device mounted on the top of the support, an operating device including a controller connected with the motor and with said shaft for imparting an alternating rotary motion to the latter, and means includin a second controller connecting said opertmg device and the said device on the top of the support for operating the latter, sa1d controllers adapted to be operated in:

dependently of each other and inde end evice ently controlling the shaft and -respectively.

6. In a driving mechanism, inter-meshing gears, a driven worm shaft formed with oppositely pitched Worms separately engagmg said gears, shiftable follower mechations between said driving mechanisin and nism adapted.for alternate engagement-With said gears, and another follower mechanism adapted to be clutched to one of said ears.

7. In a driving mechanism, the com ina- V tion of a suitable support, hangers depend ing therefrom, hangerrods connecting said hangers in pairs, hanger platos connecting said rods, drivin mechanism on-said plates, followers on sai support, and controllable driving connections between said driving mechanism and followers.

8. In a driving mechanism, the combina tion of a suitable support, hangers depending therefrom, hanger rods connect1ng said hangers in pairs, hanger platesconnecting said rods and adjustable thereon, driving mechanism on said platos, followers on said support, and Controllable driving connecfollowers.

A9.. In a driving mechanism, the combmation of a suitable support, followers car-' ried by said support, drivmg mechanism suspended from said support, a" speed reducing device suspended from -said support and connected to the driving mechanism, and controllable driving connections between the speed reducing device'and followers. 10. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a suitable support, followers car-" ried by, said support, driving, mechanism suspended from said support, a speed reducing device suspended from said support and connected to. the driving mechanism, and controllable driving connections between the speed reducing device and followers,.'

said driving connectionsextending opposite ways from the speed reducing device and vertically crossing the support on opposite sides thereof.

11 In a driving mechanism the combina tion ofa suitable support, followers carried by said support, a prime:mover, a speed re ducing device suspended from and beneath said support and connected to the prime mover, and driving connections between: the

speed reducing device and followers, said driving connections being susceptible of adjustment as to operativeness and as to direc-.

tion of travel of the followers.-

12. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a suitable support, .followers carried by said support, a, prime mover, a speed reducing device suspended from and beneath 'said support and conhectedto the prime mover, and driving connectioris-between the speed reducing" device, and' fol.

lowers, said driving connections bei11g-adjustable selectively in respect to the speed reducing deviceand in respect either of the followers.

13. In a driving mechanism, suitable support, a movable member on said':support,'

a' slide be'aring on said support, a hou'sing on the movable member hinged to the slide bearing, a shaft in the movable member and housing, a pitman arranged for. re ciprocation in the slide bearing, and gear connections between saidpitman and shaft, said gear connections adapted to separate 

